President Donald Trump’s nomination to lead the US Department of Transportation (DOT) has pledged to maintain a cap implemented on Boeing's production of 737 MAX aircraft.
The newly inaugurated president's nominee, former Wisconsin congressman Sean Duffy, cleared a vote orchestrated by the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on January 22, to lead the DOT and will now face the full Senate. Duffy won the vote unanimously with all 28 members voting in his favour.
Before clearing the committee, Duffy highlighted that the cap implemented on Boeing will be maintained, when discussing the manufacturers future.
In early 2024, then Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chief Mike Whitaker set a monthly production cap of 38 on the 737 MAX jets after a door plug missing four key bolts flew off a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9, shortly after it departed Portland.
In written comments, reported by Reuters, that were submitted to the Senate Commerce Committee, Duffy said: “The cap will be maintained and will be lifted when I, in consultation with the career safety experts at FAA and the Administrator, have confidence that a production increase will not reduce the quality of the aircraft being produced.”
The news outlet also stated that Duffy has planned to meet with Boeing's leadership at the "earliest feasible moment" so he could "make clear that the department and the FAA will continue to hold them accountable to the action plan they developed, and which was accepted by the department."
Senators and members of “America’s transportation community” have previously expressed support for Duffy’s nomination, the Senate Commerce Committee confirmed in statement.